The Blue Jays announced that they have released right-hander Claudio Vargas and infielder Eugenio Velez from Triple-A Buffalo (Twitter link). The 35-year-old Vargas posted a 5.86 ERA with 6.0 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in 83 innings for the Bisons this season. A veteran of eight Major League seasons, Vargas hasn't appeared in the Bigs since 2010 with the Brewers. Velez hit .270/.372/.437 with seven homers and 21 steals in 69 games at Triple-A. He last appeared in the Majors with the Dodgers in 2011 and went hitless in 37 at-bats.

Vargas, 34, has experience in parts of eight MLB seasons, though he hasn't appeared in the big leagues since 2010. He has a career 4.83 ERA with 6.4 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 as a starter and reliever. Thompson, 28, pitched well out of the bullpen for the Angels in 2011, but appeared in just three games this past season. Perez appeared in ten games with the Brewers in 2012, striking out and walking more than one batter per inning. The 30-year-old Velez has five years of MLB experience with the Dodgers and Giants, but he last appeared in the big leagues in 2011. Lastly, the Blue Jays signed Jimenez, who made his MLB debut in 2012, appearing in seven games with the Mariners.

Right-hander Claudio Vargas has agreed to a minor league deal with the Blue Jays, according to Metis Sports Management (via Twitter). Vargas retired in summer 2011 before inking a minor league deal with the Brewers this past spring.

The Rays aren't going to be shaking things up right away but there could be some trades on the horizon, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. "At the very least we have more clarity. I wouldn't say anything is imminent. But we just have more clarity on how we might be able to complete this offseason looking out over the next six-to-eight weeks," said executive VP Andrew Friedman.

It seems that almost everyone in Nashville this week was poised to spend big bucks except for the Yankees, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Scott Boras and two other agents who have discussed clients with the Yankees in recent days said their perception was a clamp had been placed on spending with the team’s payroll already at $168MM for 2013. Meanwhile, the Yanks still have major needs in right field, the left side of the infield, and at catcher.

The Brewers have signed right-hander Claudio Vargas to a minor league deal, according to his agency, Metis Sports Management. The eight-year MLB veteran will report to Triple-A Nashville, where he'll start.

Vargas, 33, retired last summer then signed with the Vaqueros Laguna of the Mexican League in time for the 2012 season. He posted a 7.32 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and 4.6 BB/9 in 17 relief appearances for the Brewers in 2010, his most recent campaign in the Major Leagues. He has since pitched in the minor leagues for the Dodgers and Rockies.

Vargas, 33, was originally signed as an amateur free agent by Florida in 1995 and pitched for the Expos/Nationals, Diamondbacks, Brewers, Mets and Dodgers in his eight-year pro career. He retires with a career ERA of 4.83 in 217 games (114 of them starts). Vargas' best season was 2009, when he posted a 1.74 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP in 36 relief appearances with the Brewers and Dodgers.

Vargas posted a 7.32 ERA with 8.4 K/9 and 4.6 BB/9 in 17 relief appearances for the Brewers last year before they released him. The Dodgers picked Vargas up in June, only to release him two months later. The 32-year-old has played for five teams in his eight-year MLB career, all of them in the National League.

The 32-year-old posted a 7.32 ERA with the Brewers this year, with 8.2 K/9 and 4.6 BB/9 in 19.2 innings of work. His Triple A numbers were a little better, but similar; Vargas posted a 5.89 ERA with 8.6 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in 47.1 innings for Albuquerque.